Computer having a heat sink structure incorporated therein

ABSTRACT

A computer having a heat sink structure incorporated therein provides efficient heat dissipation for heat generating components within the computer. In a preferred embodiment, a computer has a chassis, a circuit board with a heat generating device mounted thereon, and a structural member with a heat pipe disposed thereon. The heat pipe transfers heat from the heat generating device to a heat dissipating portion of the structural member. The structural member strengthens the chassis and provides convective transfer of the heat to the environment.

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/609,885, filed Mar.1, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,762.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to electronic devices and, in apreferred embodiment thereof, more particularly provides a computer witha specially designed heat sink structure incorporated therein.

2. Description of Related Art

It is well known in the electronic device design art that electroniccomponents utilized in the manufacture of, for example, computersproduce heat when they are operating in the computers. It is also wellknown that each electronic component has a maximum operating temperatureand that if an electronic component is operated at a temperature greaterthan its maximum operating temperature, its useful life will becurtailed. Thus, the operating temperatures of electronic componentswithin a computer must be controlled for the computer to functionproperly and for the computer to have an acceptable useful life.

A common method of controlling the operating temperatures of electroniccomponents within a computer or other electronic device is to force astream of ambient air across the electronic components. As the airpasses over the electronic components, convective heat transfer occursbetween the electronic components and the air, enabling the air to carryaway heat generated by the electronic components during operationthereof. Typically, the stream of ambient air is produced by arelatively flat axial fan mounted to a housing enclosing the electroniccomponents. The housing usually has openings therethrough forcirculation of the air through the housing.

The forced air heat dissipation method has several disadvantages,however. A fan consumes power which might be utilized to operate othercomponents of the computer. In modern battery powered notebook andsubnotebook computers, minimized power consumption is desirable in orderto achieve an acceptable battery operating time.

A fan capable of moving a sufficient volume of air to control thetemperatures of electronic components in a modern computer usually takesup a large amount of space. Typically, an axial fan utilizesapproximately two cubic inches within a computer housing. In a modernnotebook or subnotebook computer, space is at a premium.

A fan has reliability concerns. As with any device having moving parts,the moving parts eventually wear out and require repair or replacement.A fan is also electrically operated, typically having an electric motorfor rotating a fan blade. The electric motor, electrical contacts, etc.may also need repair or replacement. Another disadvantage is that themoving and electrical parts usually produce undesirable noise.

The forced air heat dissipation method is not very efficient since,typically, the air is delivered to all electronic components within thecomputer housing. The result is that the gross ambient air temperaturewithin the housing may be reduced, but a particular electronic componentwhich produces a large amount of heat may not receive the additional airflow necessary to maintain its temperature below its maximum operatingtemperature. In that situation, it is usually necessary to add a finnedheat sink to the electronic component, which typically must be near theelectronic component, takes up a large volume within the computerhousing, and decreases the overall packaging efficiency of the computer.

A further disadvantage of a fan is that it cannot be contoured to fit inavailable space within a computer housing. For example, a modernsubnotebook computer may have a sufficient volume of unoccupied spacewithin its housing for an axial fan to fit therein, but that volume maybe distributed throughout the housing. It simply is not possible todistribute portions of the fan to different areas of the housing andhave the fan operate properly.

Another solution that has been proposed for dissipating heat generatedin a computer is to attach one end of a heat pipe to a heat-producingcomponent and the other end of the pipe to a portion of the computer'smetal chassis. In this way, a particular component which generates alarge amount of heat may be directly cooled. This method also hasdisadvantages, however. A disadvantage of the method is that it reliesalmost exclusively on conductive heat transfer through the computerchassis to dissipate the heat. The heat is eventually transferred to theenvironment via convection, but since the chassis is typically disposedwithin a housing, if the convective heat transfer is not assisted by aforced air method, it is very inefficient.

Heat pipes are at times provided with fins at one end thereof to permitconvective heat transfer therefrom. Such fins are typically soldered orbrazed to the heat pipes. A disadvantage of this method is that thesoldering or brazing operations can cause damage to the heat pipes whichmay not be discovered until the heat pipes are installed in computers,the computers are operated, and components fail due to excessive heat.Another disadvantage of this method is that the fins must be mounted tothe computers' chassis, but cannot form structural portions thereof.Furthermore, the fins are subject to damage during assembly which canaffect the fit of the computer and lower the effectiveness of thethermal transfer.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be quite desirable toprovide an efficient means of dissipating heat generated by componentswithin a computer housing which consumes no power, takes up minimalspace in the housing, makes no noise, has no moving or electrical parts,may be contoured to f it within available space in the housing, may beadapted to dissipate heat generated by particular components, does notrequire soldering, brazing, or similar operations, and may be astructural portion of a computer chassis. It is accordingly an object ofthe present invention to provide such a heat dissipation means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance witha preferred embodiment thereof, an electronic device, representatively acomputer, is provided which has a heat sink structure incorporatedtherein. The heat sink structure forms a structural portion of a chassisof the computer and efficiently transfers heat from an electroniccomponent within the computer to the environment. The heat structureconsumes no power, has no moving parts, and makes no noise.

In broad terms, a heat sink is provided for an electronic device,representatively a computer, of the type having a chassis and a heatgenerating component therein. The heat sink includes a heat absorbingportion, a conduit portion, a heat dissipating portion, a channel, and aheat pipe disposed in the channel.

The heat absorbing portion is configured for conformal attachment to theheat generating component. In a disclosed preferred embodiment, the heatabsorbing portion has a plate formed thereon which is generally planar,corresponding to a generally planar heat generating component.

The conduit portion is attached to, and extends outwardly from, the heatabsorbing portion. The conduit portion operatively interconnects theheat absorbing portion to the heat dissipating portion, permitting theheat dissipating portion to be remotely located relative to the heatabsorbing portion.

The heat dissipating portion has a body and a series of axially spacedapart fins extending laterally outwardly from the body. The fins permitconvective heat transfer from the body to the environment. The channelextends axially on a surface of the body, such that only shortconductive heat transfer paths are created between the heat pipe and thefins.

The channel is continuously formed on the heat absorbing portion, theconduit portion, and the heat dissipating portion. The heat pipe is,thus, protected in the channel. A thermally conductive epoxy is utilizedto secure the heat pipe in the channel.

The heat pipe is longitudinally disposed in the channel and extends fromthe heat absorbing portion to the heat dissipating portion. A means forthermally coupling the heat pipe to the heat generating component isutilized at the heat absorbing end of the heat pipe.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a computer is also provided.The computer includes a chassis, a circuit board, a heat pipe, and astructural member. The chassis has a side surface formed thereon and theside surface has a plurality of openings formed therethrough. Thecircuit board is attached to the chassis and has an electronic devicemounted on a surface thereof. The heat pipe has opposite ends, with oneof the opposite ends being thermally coupled to the electronic device.

The structural member has opposite ends, with one of the structuralmember opposite ends being attached to the chassis side surface. Theother of the structural member opposite ends is attached to the circuitboard. The structural member further has an elongated recess formed on asurface thereof, the heat pipe being received in the recess, and theheat pipe being thermally coupled to the structural member. Thestructural member strengthens the chassis when the structural member isattached to the chassis side surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded top perspective view of a computer showing a rearportion of a chassis and a printed circuit board thereof;

FIGS. 2A-2D are top plan, bottom plan, rear elevational and sideelevational views, respectively, of a heat pipe retainer embodyingprinciples of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are exploded front elevational and bottom plan views,respectively, of a heat sink assembly incorporating the heat piperetainer of FIGS. 2A-2D, the heat sink assembly embodying principles ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the computer of FIG. 1 incorporatingthe heat sink assembly of FIGS. 3A and 3B therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Representatively illustrated in FIG. 1 is an electronic device,representatively a portable notebook computer 10, including a rearportion of a chassis 12 and a printed circuit board (PCB) 14 thereof.The circuit board 14 is operatively attached to the chassis 12 in anopening 16 formed on the chassis. Fasteners, representatively screws 18and 20, secure the PCB 14 to the chassis 12, such that an upper side 22of the PCB faces the opening 16.

The chassis 12 has ports 24, 26, 28, and 30 formed through a rearupstanding side 32 thereof. Preferably, chassis 12 is a die-caststructure, although other methods of constructing the chassis, such asmaking the chassis from sheet metal, may be utilized without departingfrom the principles of the present invention. In the representativelyillustrated chassis 12, due to system geometry constraints, each ofports 24, 26, 28, and 30, have an open side instead of being completelyenclosed in the chassis. Thus, in the representatively illustratedchassis 12, ports 24, 26, and 28 are formed on the rear side 32 withopen upper sides 34, 36, and 38, and port 30 is formed on the rear sidewith an open bottom side 40 which is integrally formed with opening 16.

It will be readily appreciated that ports 24, 26, 28, and 30, incombination with open sides 34, 36, 38, and 40, formed on rear side 32significantly decrease the strength of the rear side of the chassis 12.In particular, the bending strength of rear side 32 is weakened. Thus,when a bending moment is applied to the rear side 32 of the chassis 12as representatively illustrated in FIG. 1, the bending moment having anaxis orthogonal to a plane defined by the rear side, the rear side willnot resist bending as well as it would if open ends 34, 36, 38, and 40were not open. The absence of material in open ends 34, 36, 38, and 40not only permits the rear side 32 to bend easily, but may also lead tofailure of the chassis 12 by fracture or plastic deformation if thebending moment is sufficiently great.

PCB 14 has multiple electronic components 42 and 44 disposed thereon.According to conventional practice, electronic components 42 and 44 maybe electrically interconnected on the PCB 14 and may perform variouscomputing functions within the computer 10. Component 44 isrepresentatively a central processing unit which generates a largeamount of heat and, thus, requires additional heat transfer therefrom inorder to prevent its temperature from exceeding its maximum operatingtemperature. It is to be understood that component 44 may be a componentother than a processor and that component 44 may be mounted to structureother than a printed circuit board without departing from the principlesof the present invention.

PCB 14 has openings 46, 48, and 50 formed therethrough. Screws 18 and 20extend through openings 46 and 48, respectively, and into openings 52and 54 formed through the chassis 12.

Referring additionally now to FIGS. 2A-2D, a heat pipe retainer 60embodying principles of the present invention is representativelyillustrated. The heat pipe retainer 60 has an elongated finned heatdissipating portion 62, a conduit portion 64, and a heat absorbingportion 66. Preferably, retainer 60 is made of die-cast magnesium,although other materials, such as aluminum, may be utilized withoutdeparting from the principles of the present invention.

Heat absorbing portion 66 includes a generally rectangular plate 68,laterally extending stabilizing arms 70 and 72, and a laterallyextending attachment arm 74. When the retainer 60 is operativelyattached to the PCB 14, as described more fully hereinbelow, plate 68overlies the processor 44 on the PCB and stabilizing arms 70 and 72contact the surface 22 of the PCB to prevent transfer of stresses to theprocessor 44 and to maintain the plate 68 in a parallel spaced apartrelationship with the PCB.

Openings 76, 78, and 80 formed through the attachment arm 74, conduit64, and heat dissipating portion 62, respectively, permit securement ofthe retainer 60 to the chassis 12 and PCB 14. Opening 76 is threaded,permitting screw 20 to threadedly secure attachment arm 74 to thechassis 12 at opening 54 and to the PCB 14 at opening 48.

Referring specifically now to FIG. 2B, in this view a channel 82 may beclearly seen formed on the retainer 60 on a bottom side surface 84thereof. The channel 82 conforms to the contours of the bottom sidesurface 84, diagonally crossing the plate 68, extending axially acrossthe conduit portion 64, and extending axially along the heat dissipatingportion 62. As will be described more fully hereinbelow, the channel 82receives a heat pipe 86 (see FIG. 3A) therein for transfer of heat fromthe heat absorbing portion 66 to the heat dissipating portion 62 of theretainer 60.

It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art thatmultiple channels 82 may be formed on the retainer 60 for receivingcorresponding multiple portions of the heat pipe 86 therein, or forreceiving multiple heat pipes therein. In this manner, the heatdissipating portion 62 may, for example, be used to dissipate heat frommultiple electronic components 42, multiple heat pipes 86 may beutilized to transfer heat from a single electronic component 44, or theheat dissipating portion 62 may have multiple sections, for example, toconform to available space on the computer chassis 12, with a heat pipetransferring heat to each section of the heat dissipating portion. Thesemodifications, and others, may be made to the retainer 60 withoutdeparting from the principles of the present invention.

Referring specifically now to FIG. 2C, the retainer 60 may be seen froma rear elevational view thereof. In this view, the manner in which theconduit portion 64 structurally interconnects the heat absorbing portion66 and the heat dissipating portion 62 may be clearly seen. Conduitportion 64 also permits channel 82 to be continuously formed from theheat absorbing portion 66 to the heat dissipating portion 62, allowingfor lateral offsets between the heat absorbing and heat dissipatingportions, changes in direction of the channel 82 as needed to conform toavailable space within the computer 10, etc. Additionally, as describedhereinabove, conduit portion 64 has opening 78 (not visible in FIG. 2C,see FIG. 2A) formed therethrough, permitting structural attachment ofthe retainer 60 to the PCB 14.

In FIG. 2C, the unique configuration of the heat dissipating portion 62may also be clearly seen. The heat dissipating portion 62 has a seriesof laterally extending and longitudinally spaced apart fins 88 formedthereon. The fins 88 extend outwardly from a longitudinally extendingbody 90 of the heat dissipating portion 62. Thus, when heat istransferred from the heat absorbing portion 66 to the heat dissipatingportion 62, via the heat pipe 86 (see FIG. 3A) disposed in the channel82, heat is transferred to the body 90 from the heat pipe by conduction,and from the fins 88 to the environment by convection. As will bereadily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the uniqueconfiguration of the heat dissipating portion 62 provides very shortheat conduction paths from the heat pipe 86 to the fins 88, which isdesirable since heat transfer by convection is much more efficient thanheat transfer by conduction.

The body 90 of the heat dissipating portion 62 additionally provides astructural portion of the sis 12 as will be more fully describedhereinbelow. Referring specifically now to FIG. 2D, a side elevationalview of the retainer 60 may be seen. In this view it may be seen thatthe body 90 is relatively thick and is, therefore, capable of providinga structural portion of the chassis 12.

Referring additionally now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a heat sink assembly 92may be seen. The heat sink assembly 92 includes the heat pipe retainer60, the heat pipe 86, and an elastomeric heat transfer pad 94. The heatpipe 86 is received in the channel 82 formed on the bottom side surface84 and, thus, the heat pipe is formed such that it conforms to thecontours of the channel.

The heat transfer pad 94 provides an interface between the plate 68 andthe processor 44 (see FIG. 4). Preferably, the pad 94 is made of a T-pli230A material available from Thermagon, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, but itis to be understood that other materials may be utilized for the pad 94without departing from the principles of the present invention. Pad 94permits conductive transfer of heat from the processor 44 (or any otherheat-producing component to which it is attached) to the plate 68 andheat pipe 86 and permits pliable attachment of the heat absorbingportion 66 to the processor 44 to prevent damage thereto.

The heat pipe 86 is preferably of the type manufactured by ThermacorelInc. of Lancaster, Pa., but it is to be understood that other heattransfer devices may be utilized without departing from the principlesof the present invention. Heat pipe 86 permits efficient transfer ofheat absorbed at the heat absorbing portion 66 to the heat dissipatingportion 62, permits distribution of the heat so transferredlongitudinally along the heat dissipating portion 62, and permits suchtransfer of heat to conform to available space within the computer 10.

Heat pipe 86 is preferably secured to the retainer 60 in the channel 82by a thermally conductive epoxy 96, such as Epo-Tek H67-MP availablefrom Epoxy Technology, Inc. of Billerica, Mass., although otheradhesives or fasteners may be utilized to secure the heat pipe 86without departing from the principles of the present invention. Epoxy 96provides an extended thermally conductive interface between the heatpipe 86 and the retainer 60 substantially along the entire length of theheat pipe. Thus, in heat sink assembly 92, epoxy 96 aids in minimizinglengths of conductive heat transfer paths in the retainer 60 and heatpipe 86.

Referring additionally now to FIG. 4, an exploded view of the computer10 is shown. Screw 20 secures the PCB 14 at opening 48 to the chassis 12at opening 54, and to the attachment arm 74 at threaded opening 76.Screw 18 secures the PCB 14 at opening 46 to the chassis 12 at threadedopening 52. The PCB 14 is thus disposed on the chassis 12 with upperside 22 facing opening 16 on the chassis.

A fastener, representatively screw 98, secures the PCB 14 at opening 50to the heat sink assembly 92 at threaded opening 78 (see FIG. 2B). Withthe heat sink assembly 92 thus secured to the PCB 14, the heat transferpad 94 is in contact with the processor 44. Note that screws 98 and 20are straddling the processor 44. In this manner, the pressure applied tothe processor 44 by screws 98 and 20 is evenly distributed across thesurface of the processor. Note, also, that when the screws 98 and 20secure the PCB 14 to the heat sink assembly 92, the stabilizing arms 70and 72 straddle the processor 44 and are in contact with the PCB surface22, preventing deflection of the plate 68 relative to the processor,which deflection may impart possibly damaging localized stresses to theprocessor.

A fastener, representatively screw 100, secures the heat sink assembly92 at threaded opening 80 (see FIG. 2B) to the chassis 12 at an opening102 formed upwardly through the rear side 32 of the chassis. In thismanner, the heat sink assembly 92 provides structural support for therear side 32 of the chassis 12, bridging the open sides 36 and 38 ofports 26 and 28. It is to be understood that, properly modified, heatsink assembly 92 may also bridge open sides 34 and 40 of ports 24 and30, without departing from the principles of the present invention. Itwill be readily appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art thatsuch bridging of open sides 36 and 38 substantially increases thestrength of the rear side 32 of the chassis 12. It may now be fullyappreciated that body 90 of the heat pipe retainer 60 becomes astructural component of the chassis 12 when the heat sink assembly 92 issecured to the chassis.

The heat sink assembly 92 is covered with a shroud 104 after it issecured to the PCB 14 and chassis 12. Shroud 104 has longitudinallyspaced apart openings 106 formed therethrough and is preferably made ofa plastic material, although other material, such as sheet metal, may beutilized without departing from the principles of the present invention.Openings 106 permit air to circulate about the fins 88 on the heatdissipating portion 62 and otherwise provide ventilation for componentsin the computer 10. This permits heat transfer by convection to bemaximized in the computer 10.

Thus has been described a computer 10 having a heat sink assembly 92incorporated therein which efficiently dissipates heat generated by aprocessor 44 within the computer. The heat sink assembly 92 consumes nopower, takes up minimal space within the computer 10, makes no noise,has no moving or electrical parts, may be contoured to fit withinavailable space in the computer, may be adapted to dissipate heat frommultiple components or particular components, does not require solderingor brazing of the heat pipe 86, and is a structural portion of thechassis 12.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as beinggiven by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope ofthe present invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computing apparatus, comprising:a housing; aheat generating component disposed within the housing; a heat pipe; anda heat pipe retainer in said housing including a heat absorbing portioncontacting the heat generating component, a conduit portion, and a heatdissipating portion, the heat pipe being disposed in a continuouschannel of the retainer extending from the heat absorbing portion,across the conduit portion, and to the heat dissipating portion, theconduit portion being at least partially spaced apart from the housing.2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat absorbingportion is adapted for conformal attachment to the heat producingcomponent.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the heatabsorbing portion includes at least one laterally extending stabilizingportion.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the stabilizingportion contacts a structure of the computing apparatus to which theheat producing component is attached, the stabilizing portion therebypreventing transfer of stress from the heat pipe retainer to the heatproducing component.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theconduit portion includes an attachment portion, the attachment portionsecuring the heat pipe retainer to a structure of the computingapparatus to which the heat producing component is attached.
 6. Theapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thermallyconductive interface disposed between the heat pipe and the channel. 7.The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the thermally conductiveinterface is an epoxy material.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising a thermally conductive interface in contact with theheat absorbing portion.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, whereinthe thermally conductive interface is a heat transfer pad.
 10. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipating portionincludes a longitudinally extending body on which the channel is formed.11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a chassis,and wherein the body forms a structural member of the chassis.
 12. Theapparatus according to claim 11, wherein the chassis includes an openingformed therethrough, the opening having an open side, and wherein thebody is attached across the open side of the opening.
 13. The apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein the heat dissipating portion furtherincludes a series of fins attached to the body.
 14. The apparatusaccording to claim 13, wherein the fins are formed on the body.
 15. Theapparatus according to claim 13, wherein the fins are longitudinallyspaced apart on the body.